Sacramento city and county pass ordinances that limit camping in public areas
SACRAMENTO - Both the Sacramento County board of supervisors and the Sacramento city council unanimously voted Tuesday night in favor of camping bans.
The county ordinance bans camping along the American River Parkway. The city ordinance amends the city code and allows officers to move tents from public properties like schools or government buildings.
A downtown Sacramento restaurant owner told CBS13 he's nearly lost faith in the city and county. He said he wants to believe ordinances that would ban camping along the American River and outlaw sidewalk camping in the city limits could work but said he's not confident the results will be visible.
Outside in front of his business, he cleans up syringes, human feces, and trash every day. He believes it shouldn't just fall on business owners and community members to keep their spaces safe. He said for the first time in nearly two decades of working downtown, he's ready to close up shop.
"I don't see the light at the end of the tunnel, we do our part, try to work with the city, but the city needs to do something about it," said Cilantro's restaurant owner Hugo Cervantes.
Cervantes told CBS13 he's watched at least half a dozen businesses close in the last two months because of people who live on sidewalks downtown.